Public casket viewing Wednesday for fallen Santa Cruz officers

A heartfelt message is penned across a skateboard deck at the memorial for slain officers Loran 'Butch' Baker and Elizabeth Butler in front of the Santa Cruz Police Department Tuesday. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)

SANTA CRUZ -- Well-wishers have left flowers, cards, even two purple hearts in memory of the two fallen Santa Cruz police detectives.

Wednesday, they will have an opportunity to pay their respects with a public viewing of the caskets.

From 3-8 p.m., the public is invited to Santa Cruz Memorial where the closed caskets of Santa Cruz police detective Sgt. Loran "Butch" Baker and detective Elizabeth Butler will be on display, said Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark.

The viewing, at 1927 Ocean St., will provide another opportunity for residents to honor the detectives, Clark said.

"We are forever grateful of their care for us during this time," Clark said.

Santa Cruz police also tweeted Tuesday that they were thankful for the more than $45,000 raised for the fallen detectives' families. Dozens of Santa Cruz business leaders also pledged an additional $125,000.

Thursday, a law enforcement procession will start at 8:45 a.m. in Santa Cruz, and a public memorial for the detectives is planned for noon at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. The three-hour service will feature a number of dignitaries, friends, family and special musical guest James Durbin of "American Idol" fame.

Advertisement

The motorcade departs at 8:45 a.m. from the parking lot at Beach and Third streets in Santa Cruz. It will end at HP Pavilion in San Jose.

Authorities advised procession watchers to walk or ride a bike to the route.

"Parking will not be allowed on Ocean Street prior to and during the procession," Clark said.

There will be rolling road closures on the route, and the procession will take both lanes of Highway 17 at 30 to 40 mph, according to the California Highway Patrol. Drivers can follow but not pass the procession on the highway.

The Santa Cruz Metro Highway 17 Express bus will run from the Santa Cruz Metro Station to San Jose Diridon Station on its normal schedule on Thursday, Metro representatives said. San Jose Diridon Station is about a block and a half from HP Pavilion.

Free bus vouchers are available for riders with special needs, senior citizens or others who lack transportation to the San Jose event. Buses leave from the Santa Cruz Metro Center at 920 Pacific Ave. and 246 Kings Village Road in Scotts Valley.

Bus tickets can be picked up at the Louden Nelson Community Center at 301 Center St. in Santa Cruz the Santa Cruz Public Library at 224 Church St. and library branches in Scotts Valley and Branciforte.

LIVE FEEDS

A live feed of the memorial will be shown at Kaiser Permanente Arena at 140 Front St. in Santa Cruz. Doors open at 10 a.m. and the feed starts at 11 a.m.. A second feed will be shown at 11 a.m. at the Del Mar Theatre at 1124 Pacific Ave. in Santa Cruz. Seating is first-come, first-served. No tickets will be issued for any of the events.

The memorial service also will air on Santa Cruz Community Television, KSBW and KION. Authorities ask those who want to attend the San Jose memorial service to carpool.

Because Santa Cruz police will participate in the procession and memorial, California Highway Patrol officers and sheriff's deputies from Santa Cruz and Monterey counties will take on Santa Cruz police duties from Wednesday night to Friday afternoon, said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Phil Wowak.

Offices of the city of Santa Cruz will be closed Thursday to honor detectives. All Santa Cruz firefighters are expected to participate in the procession and their duties will be taken on by Scotts Valley, Aptos/La Selva and Central firefighters.

Law enforcement and many Santa Cruz residents have been reeling since the deaths of Baker and Butler on Feb. 26.

The detectives were at Jeremy Goulet's door on North Branciforte Avenue to interview him about a groping investigation when Goulet shot them to death, police said.

Goulet was killed in a shootout with deputies and police about 30 minutes later.

Police said they have been overwhelmed with support since the officers' deaths, which were the first in Santa Cruz police history.

A memorial garden of the donated plants is expected to be planted in their names outside the police station on Center Street.

City of Santa Cruz offices will be closed. Previously scheduled rental inspections will still occur.

Santa Cruz Public Library branches will be open 3-7 p.m.

All Santa Cruz firefighters are expected to participate in the procession. Their duties will be taken on by Scotts Valley, Aptos/La Selva and Central firefighters.

Santa Cruz County Superior Court in Santa Cruz and Watsonville will have shortened hours on Thursday so deputies normally assigned to court security can work at the procession and memorial. The court at 701 Ocean St. in Santa Cruz will be open at 8 a.m. and close at 10 a.m. The court at 1 Second St. in Watsonville will open at 8 a.m. and close at 9:30 a.m. Drop boxes will be available for documents will be available at both locations and clerks' offices will keep normal hours.

WHAT: A procession and memorial service for Santa Cruz police Sgt. Loran 'Butch' Baker and detective Elizabeth Butler.WHEN: Procession staging begins at 7:30 a.m. Thursday at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk parking lot at Third and Beach streets. Procession starts at 8:45 a.m. Memorial begins at noon.MEMORIAL: Noon at HP Pavilion, 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose. No tickets; seats are first-come, first-served.THE ROUTE: From Boardwalk parking lot on Third and Beach streets up Third Street across the San Lorenzo River to San Lorenzo Boulevard and up Ocean Street to Highway 17. Highway 17 to Highway 85 south to Highway 87 north; exit at Julian Street and turn left; to Autumn, turn left, and the arena will be to the right. TRANSPORTATION: Organizers ask participants to carpool to San Jose or take a Metro bus. Walk, bike or carpool to the Santa Cruz locations.Kaiser Permanente Arena: Live feed at 140 Front St., Santa Cruz. Doors open at 10 a.m.; the feed starts at 11 a.m.Del Mar Theatre: Live feed at 11 a.m. at 1124 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz.TV: Santa Cruz Community Television, KSBW and KION plan live broadcasts. KION starts at 8:30 a.m., KSBW and Community Television start at 8:45 a.m. Commercial free coverage is expected to finish at 3 p.m. for KION and 4 p.m. for KSBW and Community Television. KION will have its normal newscast at 5 p.m. KSBW plans a recap from 6 to 6:30 p.m. with a repeat on its ABC affiliate from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Santa Cruz Community Television: Comcast channel 26 and Charter channel 72. KSBW: channels 6 and 706 on Comcast, channel 16 on Dish TV, channels 7 and 1007 on AT&T, and channels 7 and 787 on Charter. KION: Channels 5 and 705 on Comcast, channels 46 and 5271 on Dish TV, channels 10 and 780 on Charter, channels 4 and 1046 on AT&T.INTERNET: A live webcast of the procession and memorial will air on www.communitytv.org, www.kionrightnow.com and www.ksbw.com.